Angela Merkel makes history by marking Armistice day in France

Angela Merkel on Wednesday became the first German chancellor to attend Armistice Day commemorations in France, where President Nicolas Sarkozy called for "an ever closer association of French and German policies".

French President Nicolas Sarkozy (right) and German Chancellor Angela MerkelPhoto: AFP/GETTY IMAGES

1:00AM GMT 12 Nov 2009

The leaders of Germany and France held a joint ceremony to commemorate the end of the First World War, saying it was now time to celebrate their countries' reconciliation and friendship.

"French-German friendship is sealed with blood," Mr Sarkozy said under the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe, site of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with Mrs Merkel at his side.

Together they laid a wreath of flowers at the tomb and symbolically relit the perpetual flame above it to mark the 91st anniversary of the end of the war.

"This small flame is also ... the flame of hope," Mr Sarkozy said.

"Madame chancellor, you have made a historic gesture," Mr Sarkozy said of Mrs Merkel's decision to join him, despite Germany's defeat in the war.

The bold departure from traditional Armistice Day commemorations came two days after Mr Sarkozy travelled to Germany to help fete the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"We will never forget to what point the French suffered because of the Germans in the first half of the 20th century," Mrs Merkel said. Still, "one must learn to rise above one's history," she said, and "there is a force that can help us: the force of reconciliation."

She noted that France and Germany are now allies that use the same currency, helped create the European Union and now both have troops fighting in the US-led war against Taliban in Afghanistan.

Tens of millions of civilians and soldiers were killed during the 1914-1918 war between Germany and Allied nations, including Britain, France, the United States, Australia and Canada.